The present invention relates to a clothesline system that can automatically secure clothes onto a main clothes cable without having to manually do so with clothespins. A distinguishing feature of the clothesline system resides in the provision of a support member that prevents the main cable from sagging beyond a predetermined distance from a secondary cable while under the effect of the clothes weight. The secondary clothes cable comprises improved clothespins that can be used wit the clothesline system to engage the main cable and that feature multiple clothes holding positions. The invention also extends to a cable connector element that allows one section of a continuous cable to form the main cable and a second section of the continuous cable to form the secondary cable. As a result, the main cable is continuous with the secondary cable.
Typical clothesline systems provide a support on which wet clothes are placed to dry. The clothesline system includes a continuous cable that extends between two pulleys. The cable provides the support on which to hang the wet clothes and in order to see clothes onto the cable, clothespins must be manually placed thereon. These clothespins must be manually removed and stored when the clothes are dry and ready to be removed from the clothesline system.
To overcome the cumbersome operation of manually inserting and removing each clothespin, U.S. Pat. No. 4,519,509 issued on May 28, 1985, provides a means for automatically presenting clothespins onto the clothes cable to secure the clothes and a means for automatically removing the clothespins from the dry clothes. The clothesline system as disclosed in this reference includes an endless main cable extending between two pulleys. A pin lay wheel located between the two pulleys has a number of V-shaped recesses for receiving a series of clothespins on a secondary cable that engage the main cable while in a normally closed position. The ends of the secondary cable are attached to the main cable and when the main cable is displaced the secondary cable is moved in unison to bring the pins secured thereon in engagement with the pin lay wheel. The pins are automatically opened thus releasing the main cable which allows them to travel over an arched path defined by the periphery of the lay wheel. Further rotation of the main cable causes the pins to reengage a run of the main cable on which wet articles of clothing are placed. As a result, the articles of clothing are secured on the main cable.
Although the system facilitates securing the clothes onto the clothesline system, it fails to provide a means for preventing the main cable from sagging beyond an acceptable range within which the pins can engage the cable and secure the clothes that are placed to dry. More specifically, upon placing clothes onto the main cable, the main cable will tend to accordingly pull away from the secondary cable. In some instances however the clothes will pull the main cable under the effect of gravity at an appreciable distance from the secondary cable which will place it beyond a distance within which a pin can engage the main cable. Moreover, the clothespins described in this reference are designed with only one clothes holding position, thus limiting the range within which the clothes cable may sag away from the secondary cable.
Thus there is a need in the industry to provide a clothesline system with a support system that maintains the distance between the main cable and the secondary cable within an acceptable range. In addition, there is a need to provide clothespins with multiple clothes holding positions for successfully engaging articles of clothing placed over the main cable.
It is an object of the invention to provide a clothesline system with a support member capable of maintaining the main cable within an acceptable range from the secondary cable.
It is a further object of the invention to provide clothespins for use with a clothesline system that are capable of multiple clothes holding positions.
It is another object of the invention to provide a clothesline system wherein the main cable is continuous with the secondary cable.
It is another object of the invention on to provide a novel cable connector element capable of establishing one section of a continuous cable as the main cable and a second section of the same continuous cable as the secondary cable.
In a preferred embodiment, the clothesline system comprises a main clothes cable that extends between two spaced apart pulleys. The cable has at upper run and a lower run. A support member being located between the two runs includes an upper support arm and a lower support arm. A clothespin lay wheel is mounted at the extremity of the upper support arm so that it is in the plane of the two runs. The lay wheel has a V-shaped recess to receive a secondary cable on which is attained a series of clothespins. The clothespins engage the main cable in a normally closed position. The ends of the secondary cable are attached to the main cable so as to move in unison with the main cable. Upon rotation of the main cable, the closed pins register with the recess of the sprocket wheel and automatically open. Thus, the clothespins release the main cable and travel along an arched path defined by the periphery of the lay wheel. Further rotation of the main cable causes the clothespin to re-engage the run of the main cable on which articles of closeting are placed. Advantageously, the support member will prevent the main cable from deflecting beyond the distance within which the clothespins can successfully engage the main cable at different holding positions.
In the realization described above, the secondary cable is a separate cable, attached to the main cable. In a variant, the main cable and the secondary cable are continuous with one another. A cable connector element establishes one section of a continuous cable to form the main cable and a second section of the same continuous cable to form the secondary cable.